Method and apparatus for mixing articles



July 4, 1961 s, SMALL 2,991,050

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING ARTICLES Filed Aug. 25, 1958 INVENTOR 1' ATTORNEYS.

2,-99 1-,0s'0 I uvmrnon AND APPARATUSFORMIXING ARTICLES ."SamuelN; Sm'allQValley. Stream, N.Y., assignor to Jay *Dee Products Co.Inc.,*Broklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed -Aug. 25; 1958, $81; No. 756,929 a I 131 Claims. (Cl."259"95) My invention relates to a new and improvedmethod *andapparatus for-producing a uniformmixture of drinking strawsof various colors or types.

ltwis wellknown to::provide-fragile drinking straws -whichxaremade ofpaper, and his also'well known to --manufacture said drinking straws from papers of various different colors. Ithasflalso been well known for many years; tospackagelthesedrinking straws in groupszof severalr different. colors, audit is highly desirableto mix these .difierently .coloredstrawsgthis quicklyand cheaplyrand in a uniform manner.

-.-Heretofore, although it has :been attempted for many years to secure'thiswesult, such result has been diflicult .and even impossible.

Suchr: result "is secured'rbyrrtherimproved method .and

apparatus, of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated below.

'FIG. P is atopaplan view ofltheimproved apparatus "which'canTbe .used to practice the improved method.

FIG. 2 is a verticalilon'gitudinal section on the line 2"2 of FIG.11.

'FIG. 3. is a verticaltransverse section. on the line 33 ofFIG; 2.

The apparatus comprisesta casingawhichhas alongitudinal upstandingzfront wall 2, a longitudinal upstanding 1 rear wall 3,;an; upstanding: transverse ileft side-.wallsor end wall 4, and an upstanding transverse rightside wall or end-wall 5. This casingI-has awgeneralirectangular hori- "zontal cross-section.

7 This casingalso has a bottomwall 10 which has" atop 'facei 10b.

Intermediate the vertical and transverse side or end walls 4 and 5, there is a vertical and transverse suppleimental wall or. inner end walli 6, which has a vertical slot 1 6c spaced-intermediatethe longitudinal walls "-2 and" 3. Theslot 6c of wall 6 begins at thetop transverse line 6a and "ends at the bottom:line 6b. This inner transverse end wall 6 is fixed to the front and rear longitudinal walls 2 and 3 from the top edges to the bottom edges of said 1 Walls 2v and 3.

'Afeed chute or slide 7 is provided atthe top of the rightend or side-wall 5. The straws S arefed by gravity downthis inclined chute 7, as indicated by the arrow7a,

andthese infed straws S slide by gravityalong the inner face of the right side-wall as indicated by the arrow 7b while'thecasing is being filled with said straws. This side wall 5 is-providedbelow the chute7 with a vibrating agitating pusher P which is vibrated horizontally and longitudinally to-and-froby any suitable mechanical means. This agitating pusher P is of rectangular outline, and it fits slidably inarcorresponding vertical slot in the right side-'wall 5. A. horizontal rod 8 is fixed to this pusher P. This rod reciprocates the pusher P. The agitating pusher P is reciprocat'ed between the full-line position and the broken-lineposition shown inFIG. 2. The mechanism "for reciprocating the-rod' 8 and its associated pusher P "is not illustrated because it may be of any conventional 'Ihez'alower1portion;ofrthevertical side. wall 5 is defined by an inclined slide .9; whichextends longitudinallyinward z'anddownward and isrigidly fixed to; the horizontally rand longitudinallyislotted' bottom wall 10 ;of. the casing. iAn

:Patented July 4, 1961 endless flexible conveyor orbelt 11' is provided. This flexible belt 11 may be a chain belt. Said belt or chain 11 is supported upon end-sprockets 12'and 12a, and its bottom run meshes with a turnable sprocket 12b. The upper -run-of said belt 11 passes turnable sprockets 14 and 14a.

The shafts of these sprockets are rotatably connected .-to the casing.

One of theseend-sprockets 12 or'12a is continuously actuated, in order to actuatethe top run of the chain belt 11 from right to left, as indicated bythe arrow 11a. A

-set of evenly-spacedvanes, paddles or pusher elements 15 isfixed to this chain belt 11. 'These vanes or paddles 15 are identical.

They have a rectangular contour. These vanes 15 are always maintained-transversely and perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the respective adjacent part of the endless chain 11. A part of the upper run of the chain: 11 is located close to the horizontaland longitudinal slot 16 which is provided in the bottom 10 of the casing.

The front andrear vertical edges of the transverse and planar vanes 15 fit closely and slidably against the walls I of'this bottom slot 16,.thus forming a set of compartments between adjacent vanes 15 at the bottom wall 10 ofithe casing. These compartments or pockets 17 extend above the top face 1% of bottom wall 10' of the casing.

As thestraws Stall down the inclined chute or slide 9,

they fill each of the pockets 17 abovethe top face 10b of bottomwall 10 directly at .or very close to the bottom end of the-inclined slide 9. The bottom part of thisslide 9 has an inclined slot 16a which is continuous withthe slot 16 0f the; bottomwall 10 so that the vanes 15 can extend intothe casing, directly at the slotted bottornpart e of the inclined slide 9.

A slotted downwardly .and inwardly curved plate or baffle 10a is provided adjacent the intermediate wall '6. This-slotted baflle 10a curves smoothly between the points 19 and 19a, at which-it merges respectively with the bottom wall10 and inner .end wall 6, to thereby. define a lower portion of the inner end wall, as will appearpresently. At-the point 19, this battle or wall plate .10 is llushwith the top face 10b of bottom wall 10. This baffle or wall plate 10a has a respective slot 16b which has thesarne width qas the slots,16: and 16a. The bafiie 10 is generally inclined tothe left relative to the vertical plane.

The slot 16b of baffle 1011 has its lower end aligned with the slot' 16 to. form a continuation thereof and ex- S cannot fall-through-the slots 16a or 16, or 16b, or 6c,

-,:and.the straws remain in the casing between walls Sand tends tothe top point 19a of baflle 10a where it opens into the slot 60 of wall 6.

The vanes 15 are retracted from-the slot 10a of the baffle 16b at the top point 19a, and said vanes 15 are retracted fromthe slot 60 in the intermediate wall 6, at

.ments 15, beginning at or close to the bottom end of slot 16a of the lower end wall portion or slide 9. Thestraws in thesefilled pockets 17 which are located above wall 10, are conveyed by the belt from the right tothe left, until the vanes 15 are retracted at about the point 20. Thelength ofthe straws S, in a horizontal-transverse plane, is much greater than the widths of the slots 16a, 16, 16b and 6c in a transverse plane. Hence, the straws 6 at all times during the mixing operation. The pusher P is continuously reciprocated.

At the wall 6, slightly above the location 20, the straws S are discharged from the pockets 17, and the straws fall back to the right, into the chamber between walls 6 and 5. After a selected number of red straws has been thus fed into said chamber between walls 6 and 5, the straws of the next color, such as green, are then fed into the casing, and this feed of additional colors is repeated until the batches of all the selected colors have been fed into the chamber between walls 6 and 5.

When the chamber between the walls 6 and has received the required number of straws S of different colors and types, said chamber may be filled up to about the bottom of slide 7.

The straws may be initially fed quickly into said chamber, in batches of different colors and types, in order to fill said chamber up to the point 20, or up to a point in said chamber which is above point 20. At this time, the mixture in said chamber is not uniform.

The operation of belt 11 at uniform speed is then continued during a suitable mixing period. During said mixing period, the reciprocation of the pusher P is continued.

The bottom part of the mass of straws S in said chamber is thus fed continuously by the vanes 15, longitudinally horizontally to the left along the top face b of bottom wall, the slot 16 of bottom wall 10, and also upwardly along the slot 16b of baifie 10a; and along the slot 60, up to point 20.

At the point 20, the straws S are discharged from the successive pockets 17. If desired, the top of the mass of straws C may be at point 20 or below point 20. Preferably, the top of the mass of straws S in the chamber between walls 6 and 5 is at the level of the top of the agitating pusher P. The straws S which are discharged from the pockets 17 are gradually shifted to the right, to again finally enter the slide 9. The straws discharged from the upper left-hand end of the conveyor are gradually moved rightward by succeeding straws discharged from the upper left-hand end of the conveyor. The straws so discharged cannot fall directly down, because the space beneath them is occupied by additional straws. The straws can only return downward at the right-hand side for repeated movement by the conveyor. The constant reciprocation of the pusher P gently agitates the fragile straws S, without injuring them.

It will now be understood that a container or chamher is defined within the bottom wall 10, upstanding longitudinal walls 2 and 3, and transverse end walls 5 and 6. In such container, the slide 9 defines the lower longitudinally inwardly declining portion of end wall 5,

while the plate 10a defines the lower longitudinally inj wardly declining portion of end wall 6. Stated otherwise, the lower end wall portions 9 and 10a incline away from each other longitudinally of the container or chamber. Further, a continuous slot is defined extending longitudinally in the bottom wall 10 and upward at its oppo-' site ends into the end walls 5 and 6, as by the slot 16 in bottom wall 10, upwardly extending slot 16a in the right hand end wall portion 9, upwardly extending slot 16b in the lower left hand end wall portion 10a, and the upwardly extending slot 60 in the upper portion of the left hand end wall 6.

It will also now be appreciated that the endless conveyor element or chain 11 includes a generally horizontal portion extending longitudinally along and beneath the bottom wall 10, contiguous to the bottom wall slot 16, and also includes a portion extending upwardly from the horizontal portion exteriorly of and in conforming inclined relation with respect to the lower end wall portion or plate 10a. This inclined portion of conveyor element 11 is best seen on the left hand side of FIG. 2, and extends in its inclined relation upward beyond the upper terminus of the lower inclined end wall portion 1 0. By

this construction, the pusher elements or paddles 15 are gradually withdrawn from the interior of the chamber or container in the region of location 20 upward beyond the lower inclined end wall portion 10a, and such withdrawal is accomplished during translational movement of the pusher element, before their angular rotation about their sprocket wheel 12a. This action efiects discharge or release of the straws from the paddles 15 by the innerface of end wall 6 with a minimum of pressure against the straws.

During the operation, it will be appreciated that the lowermost level of straws in the container is moved in its entirety longitudinally of the container, leftward as seen in FIG. 2, and thence moved upward along the end wall 6 to the region or location 20 where it is discharged or released for gravitational return to the lowermost level upon continued mixing operation. The agitator element P serves to agitate or jiggle the straws as they are introduced through the chute or slide 7 into the container, and further, by its location adjacent to the inlet or infeed end of the conveyor 11, effectively prevents arching and other undesirable action at the inlet end of the conveyor. The conveyor itself, of course, effectively serves to jiggle or agitate straws in the container.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a highly advantageous method and apparatus for mixing straws, and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, maintenance and use.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail as applied to a straw-mixing device, it is appreciated that the subject apparatus is capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein. For example, the instant device may be employed for the collection of articles, straws or otherwise, in predetermined numbers as desired, (as between the vanes or paddles); and the apparatus may be employed to deliver or place the articles at a desired location or locations, say to dispense articles through a wall of a container.

The invention is further disclosed in the appended claims, which define the scope of the invention. For convenience in defining the claims and without limitation thereto, it is assumed that the straws are fed into the chamber at its right side.

What is claimed is:

1. In a straw mixing device, the combination comprising: a container having a longitudinally extending bottom wall of a width just slightly greater than the length of straws to be mixed, longitudinally extending upstanding side walls, and transversely extending upstanding end walls extending between and of a height generally comparable to that of said side walls; there being a slot formed in said bottom wall extending longitudinally therealong spacedly between said side walls and continuing at one end upward into the adjacent portion of one of said end walls; and conveyor means extending longitudinally along and exteriorly of said bottom wall and the adjacent portion of said one end wall for movement along said slot in the direction toward said one end wall and upward along the latter; said conveyor means including a plurality of pusher elements projecting inward through and beyond said slot for movement therealong; said pusher elements being engageable with straws in a lower level of said container resting on said bottom wall transversely of said slot to carry said straws longitudinally of said container and upward to an upper level thereof the lower slotted portion of said one'end wall being inclined from said bottom wall longitudinally outward of said container, and said conveyor means extending in inclined relation conformably along said lower inclined slotted portion of said one end wall and continuing upward in said inclined relation beyond 'said lower inclined end-wall portion to gradually and completely withdraw said pusher elements from said slot.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in combination with an agitator member mounted in an end wall above said conveyor means for oscillatory movement into and out of said container to agitate straws contained therein.

3. The combination according to claim 1, in combination with straw inlet means in the upper region of the other container end wall for introducing straws into said container.

4. The combination according to claim 3, in combination with str-aw agitator means carried by said other end wall below said straw inlet means for agitating straws upon their introduction into said container.

:5. The combination according to claim 4, said agitator means comprising an agitator member mounted in said other end wall for oscillatory movement into and out of said container.

6. A straw mixing device comprising: a container of generally rectangular horizontal cross section having a longitudinal-1y extending bottom wall of a width slightly greater than the length of straws to be mixed, longitudinally extending upstanding side walls on opposite sides of said bottom wall and transversely extending upstanding end walls extending between and of a height comparable to that of said side walls; the lower portions of said end walls declining inward longitudinally of said container to said bottom wall; there being a slot formed in said bottom wall extending longitudinally therealong and continuing at one end upward into the adjacent portion of one of said end walls beyond the declining portion of the latter; an endless conveyor means including a horizontal portion extending longitudinally along and beneath said bottom wall and an outwardly inclined portion extending in conforming relation along and exteriorly of said one end wall upward from said horizontal portion and substantially straight appreciably beyond the declining portion of said one end wall; said endless conveyor means having its upper run contiguous to said slot and movable horizontally along said bottom wall in the direction toward said one end wall and generally upward and outward along said one end wall; and a plurality of pusher elements projecting from said endless conveyor means inward through and beyond said slot for movement therealong and withdrawal from the upper slot region of said one end wall upon movement along said outwardly inclined straight conveyor-means portion, said 6 pusher elements being engageable with straws in a lower level of said container resting on said bottom wall transverse of said slot to carry said straws longitudinally of said container and upward to an upper level thereof and discharge straws upon said withdrawal of said pusher elements.

7. The combination according to claim 6, in combination with straw inlet means in the upper region of the other container end wall for introducing straws into said container, and straw agitator means carried by said other container end wall below said straw inlet means for agitating straws upon their introduction into said container.

8. In the method of mixing straws, the steps which comprise: introducing a quantity of straws generally horizontally into an elongate container with the straws extending generally transverse of the container, moving a lowermost level of said straws longitudinally of said container and upward along one end wall thereof to an upper level in said container, and releasing the so moved straws while in said container for gravitational return to said lowermost level.

9. The method according to claim 8, further charac terized by moving the entire lowermost level of straws in said container for substantially complete circulation of straws.

10. The method according to claim 8, further characterized by introducing the straws at a location remote from said one end wall of the container.

11. The method according to claim 8, further characterized by eifecting the introduction of straws by gravity.

12. The method according to claim 8, further characterized by agitating said straws at an upper level thereof remote from said one container end wall.

13. The method according to claim 8, further characterized by introducing the straws at a location remote from said one end wall, and moving the entire lowermost level of straws longitudinally of said container away from the location of straw introduction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 476,392 Kufs June 7, 1892 619,425 Marsden Feb. 14, 1899 767,162 McNear Aug. 9, 1904 2,458,387 Kindseth Jan. 4, 1949 

